Saviors of Humanity
by MasterMind2553
Summary: AU. Humanity is on the brink of extinction thanks to the Titans. Eren wishes to remedy that in any way possible, to save humanity from the horror that the Titans wreak upon his people. Yet, Titans aren't the only threat out there, and Eren will learn that it'll take much more than exterminating Titans to truly save humanity. But at what price? Strong!EreMika
1. Prologue: All but Peaceful

**_Hello, everyone!_**

 ** _Pcano94 here with my latest story, and it's miraculously NOT a Fairy Tail story!_**

 ** _Anyways, after a while of ignoring it, I decided to revisit Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan), and by God was I reminded of just how AWESOME the anime/manga is. It's simply phenomenal! The music is far more epic than anything I've ever heard before (though some come quite close), and it really helps set the desperate, hopeless atmosphere to a tantalizing degree.  
_**

 ** _Anyways, before y'all ask, the pairing is obviously Eren x Mikasa. Other pairings are unclear at the moment, though I am considering doing an Armin x Annie (keyword: considering). The only other obvious pairing is Ymir x Historia. Those two are just too cute together to be paired otherwise. _**

**_Anyways, onto the story!_**

 ** _Please read and review!_**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

 ** _Disclaimer:_ I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin, its rights or any of its characters, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hajime Isayama. I only own my OCs, my Titan Forms, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " " = **Dialogue**

 **Die! " " = Non-Human Speech  
**

 _What? ' ' =_ **Thoughts**

 _ **Oh dear... ' ' =**_ **Non-Human Thoughts  
**

* * *

 ** _Saviors of Humanity_**

 **Chapter 1: Prologue: All But Peaceful**

It was the year 845…

Shiganshina District, a small town located in the southern outcrop of Wall Maria, inhabited by a little over 10000, lived in relative peace. People flooded the streets of the rather cramped town, milling through the tightly packed dirt streets as they either shopped for necessities or made their way to the nearest bars for a relaxing drink. A speech praising the enormous wall as a "gift from God" rang throughout the street, as well as how people should worship it as if it were some kind of deity. It was, however, ignored by most.

Occasional beastly cries rang out into the sunny skies, as well as muffled thuds if one were to get closer to the wall. It didn't take a genius to know who it was, or _what_ it was.

It was _them_ …

No one knew where they came from, or why they were dead set on slaughtering every single human they set their eyes on. All that was clear was that they just _did_. They were the stuff of nightmares, their grotesquely disfigured faces haunting humanity as they brought their unforgiving jaws on them.

They were the _Titans_ , humanoid beasts of hell that had only one purpose… bring humanity to the brink of extinction. There was no defense against the overwhelmingly powerful creatures, until the walls were erected.

Since then, not a single Titan managed to breach the 50 meter walls that protected them. Of course, it wasn't because of a lack of trying. Oh no, they had tried… so much so, that it had become an everyday thing for those living closer to the wall.

At first, like all new things, the sound of titans slamming their enormous hands on the walls and emitting guttural cries was a cause of consternation, and not a little bit of fear.

That fear was long gone.

Now, everyone was used to it; some even went as far as to loudly mock the titans for their inability to trespass the walls. After all, the tallest Titan recorded was around 15 meters tall, so it was quickly assumed that they were unreachable. The fact that most, if not all, Titans were mindless beasts served to add to the fires of their arrogance.

Little did they know, that very soon they would be reminded just how weak they were compared to the enemy they faced. They would soon learn that the walls they hid behind in were not impenetrable, and they were not deities. They would learn their true place in the food chain of existence.

They were cattle, idly waiting to be slaughtered by the merciless Titans, the _true_ rulers of the world…

…

 _It was dark…_

 _He was alone…_

 _He couldn't even see the back of his extended hand. Hell, he couldn't even_ move _his hand, or the rest of his body. He was stuck in place, frozen like the walls that served as a deterrent to_ those _monstrosities._

 _Where was he? Why couldn't he see? Why couldn't he move? Was it real? Was it dream?_

 _Just_ what _was going on?!_

 _"_ _Eren…"_

 _A soft, ethereally female voice called out to him, eerily familiar in its tone and inflection. It didn't come from one direction, though. It seemed to originate from all around him. He tried to call back, but he couldn't even move his mouth, either._

 _Why was this happening to him?!_

 _Enormous footsteps thundered, shaking the very ground he was standing on, invisible as it may be. The revolting sound of skin tearing and bones crunching pierced the silence between each footstep. Its repugnancy was only increased by the sound of munching that periodically struck his auditory senses._

 _"_ _Eren…!"_

 _It was that voice again, and this time, it sounded closer. Either that or whoever was calling out to him spoke louder. He could've sworn he detected fear in that angelic voice, and it tore him apart!_

 _Those thundering footsteps approached him, sending waves of unbridled fear through his system. This was it. He was going to die in the most unpleasantly hideous manner possible, becoming a tasteless meal to_ those _things, and he was_ powerless _to stop it._

 _Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand, easily larger than his entire body, closed onto him, crushing most of his bones in a mere instant. Torturous pain assaulted him, making him scream in pure, desperate agony. Blood escaped the confines of his lips, and was beginning to flow through his nose. Tears of what was obviously blood emerged from his eyes, sending even more pain into his system._

 _"_ _Eren!"_

 _He couldn't think of anything anymore. There was only one word that registered in his pain-riddled mind:_ powerless.

 _He was powerless to free himself from the Titan. He was powerless to quell the increasing fear emanating from that voice._

 _He was powerless to prevent his own impending doom…_

 _"_ _EREN!"_

 _That voice again! The utter horror and despair was palpable this time. Not to mention, it sounded so much closer! Futilely, he tried to move his bleeding head to search for the owner of such a beautiful voice, compelled, even in the face of death, to yell at her to get to safety, to spend his last seconds of existence comforting her, even if it was a lost cause._

 _Without so much as a warning, light shone on him, showing his positively mangled body. Just as suddenly, two rows of innumerable square teeth, wider than the monstrous hand itself, appeared in front of him, slowly moving away from each other, obviously signifying a large, opening mouth._

 _Desperation clung to him, and he struggled to free himself. He barely registered that. He tried to do anything in his power to at least budge an inch, but it bore no fruit. He was stuck, and there was nothing that would free him._

 _As if in slow motion, the hand moved closer, inching him to the jaws of hellish death. His heart beat infinitely quicker than before, his eyes widened as far as they could go, and his jaw unhinged, revealing an expression of horror in its purest form._

 _He was doomed…_

 _"_ _EREN! NOOOOOOO!"_

 _The last thing he saw was the blurry image of the owner of the ethereally angelic voice reaching out to him as the jaws closed in, sealing his fate for all eternity…_

 _…_

"EREN!"

11 year old Eren Yeager quickly sat up, gripping his cold, sweaty forehead with his hands, his eyes momentarily settled on a terrified expression. Idly, he felt a soft, feminine hand grip his shoulder in a comforting manner.

He looked up and met the eyes of his adoptive sister, Mikasa Ackerman, a girl his age that was a tad bit shorter than him, had black hair extending down to her upper back, and had striking stormy-gray eyes.

She wore a simple outfit consisting of a white dress under a salmon colored robe and black shoes. The thing that stood out the most, though, was the dark-red scarf she had wrapped snugly around her neck, a gift from Eren after he had rescued her from slave traders and brought her to his home around a year ago that she only took off during her baths.

"M-Mikasa?" spoke Eren softly, a little shakily. She removed her hand from his shoulder, though she didn't budge an inch from her spot.

"Eren, are you okay?" she asked tentatively, a concerned look crossing her usually stoic expression. "Was it a nightmare?"

A small epiphany struck Eren, and his eyes widened slightly. That voice in his dream was _Mikasa's_ all along!

Eren nodded slightly, regaining his composure. "Yeah. I don't remember much of it, though it did feel quite real."

She leaned over to him a little, obviously expectant of a retelling of whatever he remembered from his nightmare.

"I heard your voice, Mikasa," he began cryptically, earning a surprised expression from her. "I heard you calling out to me in fear and desperation."

 _That_ didn't sound good to Mikasa. She extended her hand once more, intending on grabbing his shoulder comfortingly, though she stilled momentarily.

"I heard you scream out to me as a Titan crushed me completely and then ate me…"

This time she did grab his shoulder, practically lunging as she did so. Her grip was tight, yet shaky, and her eyes were narrowed in concern.

"S-Stop, Eren," she ordered softly, her grip tightening slightly. "Don't say anything like that anymore. It was a nightmare… you should forget about it."

Eren only nodded, already used to her _very_ protective tendencies when it came to him. To some extent, it annoyed him, but it mostly brought an assortment of warm feelings to him, almost constantly associating them with her "cuteness".

Eren halted his train of thought. Did he just think Mikasa was _cute_?! Where the _hell_ did that come from?!

Shaking his head slightly, he stood up, grabbing his makeshift log carrier that was a little under three-quarters full, and strapping it on his back. Mikasa did the same with hers, though hers was a little less filled.

He gazed down the hill he was currently on, hearing the soft rustling of the green grass and the tree leaves behind him as a soft breeze blew along. He noticed a group of three blue flowers growing near the tree, mentally photographing their beauty.

"Eren…?" he heard Mikasa call, snapping him out of his reverie. "You coming?"

Eren nodded softly, giving her a small smile. "Yeah… let's go home."

Without further ado, they set off into the northern gate of Shiganshina.

…

After crossing the gate and having a rather _unique_ discussion with a rather drunk Hannes, a member of the Garrison branch of the military, that elicited some unintentionally heated words from Eren, the child duo trekked on home, ready to deliver the firewood to his mother and possibly see his father off before he left on his usual medical runs to the different outlying districts of the walls.

They walked on slowly, taking their time and watching the everyday life of the inhabitants of Shiganshina, with Eren not-so-quietly asking about the Survey Corps that had left on an expedition the day before.

 _'_ _I wonder if they'll let Viktor visit home…'_ mused Eren contemplatively. _'It_ has _been four years since he last visited.'_

"Eren," called Mikasa, earning the brown haired boy's attention. "Are you still set on joining the Survey Corps?"

He looked at her oddly, expecting her to already know the answer to _that_ question. _Of course_ he wanted to join! It was one of his _dreams, especially_ when he had _Viktor_ as a role model!

He nodded, before saying, "Yeah, I still intend to join. Why?"

"You know Kalura is not going to be so happy when she hears about it, right?" Mikasa questioned, a little chastising. Eren nodded once again, not particularly bothered.

"I know. But I still want to join the same group Viktor is in. Not to mention it would be nice to see the outside world," he answered, not flinching when she leveled a small glare of concern on him.

Before she could retort, though, the loud ringing of bells pierced the momentary silence, catching their attention and scaring a few of the nearby fowl. Mikasa quickly detected the barely repressed excitement within Eren when the bells sung their melody.

"Well, it seems they have returned!" he spoke happily, grabbing Mikasa's right arm and dragging her to the main street near the gate. "Let's go see if Viktor has returned!"

As they walked, Mikasa only had one thought running through her head.

 _'_ _Who's Viktor…?'_

…

Whatever the two children (Eren to a much greater extent) had been expecting about the arrival of the Survey Corps, it was certainly not _this_!

The entire squad lumbering up the street, some with dejected expressions on their faces, others with downright horrified expressions, and most sporting injuries of varying severity… it was not a pretty sight.

It was only made worse by the sight of a few uncovered carriages filled with bags that were oddly human-shaped… _body bags_. The expedition to the outside had, once again, brought a large number of casualties.

Comments from the civilians arose from the gruesome sight, some of them pitying, others downright derisive and mocking.

"Wow… they look bad…"

"Yeah, they must've been hit hard out there."

"Wonder how many died on _this_ one."

"Serves them right… No one should venture outside the walls."

"There, my friends, is where our taxpayer money goes… into fattening up these bastards and priming them for slaughter out there."

That last comment gathered a larger amount of attention than the rest, even going as far as to earn a bit of support amongst the crowd.

Eren could only hope that Viktor wasn't one of them. He wasn't bothered by the comments of the nearby people, casting them off as ignorant ramblings. He quickly brightened though, when he saw the visage of his older brother trekking along the back of the group, his expression just as dejected as the rest, yet filled with grim determination and not a small amount of anger.

"Viktor!" he called, waving furiously, hoping he would notice him before he passed. Viktor stood at five feet and 11 inches. He was basically like a younger and slightly more handsome version of their father, with the obvious differences being the hair, which was brown, chin-length and slicked back, a bang falling right in between his face, the eye color, which was their mother's warm chocolate brown as opposed to their father's piercing emerald green, and the nose, which looked exactly like their mother's, small and fine. He looked up, and smiled slightly at noticing his brother with a pretty young lady beside him.

Without preamble, Eren and Mikasa noticed Viktor break formation and move at a slightly quicker pace, trotting on his horse to the front, where the commander obviously was. After sharing a couple of words the graying commander and receiving a nod of affirmation, Viktor saluted the elder man, and then made his way into the junction of the alleyway closest to Eren and Mikasa, dismounting as the crowd dispersed.

"Hey, Eren!" he greeted with slight enthusiasm, almost falling backwards when the aforementioned pre-teen rushed to him and tackled him in a tight hug.

"Viktor! I'm so glad you're back!" Eren greeted in return, far more enthusiastic than his brother. Viktor nodded and patted the green-eyed pre-teen on the head.

Most of the crowd, including some of the Survey Corps themselves, couldn't help but smile slightly at the loving reunion between brothers. Even through the recent horrors they went through, seeing a family reuniting in such a fashion helped them cope through the worst part of returning from the outside: telling families of their losses.

"Not for long, though. Commander Shadis only gave me an hour and a half to be with you all, and then I must get out of dodge. So, why don't we head home?" suggested the elder Yeager, turning and eyeing Mikasa. "Oh… and who might this pretty young lady be?"

"I'm Mikasa Ackerman…" responded said girl in a soft, yet impassive tone. Viktor turned to Eren with a knowing smile.

"Ho…? Found yourself a little girlfriend, Eren?" he questioned teasingly, earning a furious blush from Eren, as well as a lighter one from Mikasa.

"N-N-No! N-Nothing like t-that!" he tried to deny, failing miserably to deter his brother's teasing tirade.

"Well, just make sure to invite me to the wedding when you have it," Viktor continued, ignoring the furious sputtering from Eren and the soft, obviously uncomfortable noises from Mikasa and waving his hand dismissively. "Now, get on the horse, I want to go see mom and dad."

"But, won't you ride it? It's _your_ horse," inquired Eren confusedly, tightening his hold on his log carrier while Mikasa began to climb onto the horse without questioning.

"That may be so, but I'm pretty sure you must've carried all that firewood from a good distance away from the north gate, so you should rest your legs for a bit," Viktor simply answered with a noncommittal shrug. "Now, just _shut up_ and _get on_ , Eren."

" _Fine_ ," shot back Eren with a mock-pout, climbing onto the horse and sitting behind Mikasa.

With that, they set off down the alley, hearing the despairing cries of a woman and Viktor's commander. His cheerful expression quickly soured, turning deadly serious and dark. Both pre-teens noticed that, and Eren looked at him with concern, though no words were shared.

There wasn't a need to, for it was obvious what those cries meant…

Someone would not be reuniting with their loved ones today…

…

The way home was eerily silent, with thorough dismissals from Viktor through his hands when Eren tried to speak to him about what happened at the main street. He only stopped when Mikasa grabbed his arm and looked at him sternly, stemming his query. All he did was nod and stay silent, idly wondering where his friend Armin was.

They now found themselves in front of their house near the top of a stairway road, Eren and Mikasa quickly dismounting and entering while Viktor tied the horse onto a nearby pole.

"We're back, mom!" called out Eren, quickly moving to the firewood storage next to the chimney and emptying the contents of his carrier, Mikasa following suit.

"Oh, welcome back, kids!" greeted his mother, Kalura, as she worked on lunch in the kitchen. She stood at five feet and five inches, was a very pretty woman with long brown hair, and had warm chocolate brown eyes. She wore a long-sleeved yellow shirt, a long brown skirt, plain brown shoes, and a plain white apron.

His father, Grisha, looked at them from his seat in the table and nodded in greeting. He was a tall, taciturn man with shoulder-length brown hair parted down the middle of his forehead, piercing emerald green eyes, and a small moustache and beard.

He wore round spectacles, a brown suit and slacks, and fashioned a white cravat on his neck. He was currently packing materials into his work suitcase. It was obvious that he was heading somewhere for job.

"It seems everything went well, eh? You two brought us a lot of firewood. This'll surely keep us going for well over a week!" Kalura complimented, earning a small smile of appreciation from the brown-haired pre-teen.

"Hey, you won't guess who is back—"

"Wow, four years have passed, yet you still look as beautiful as ever, mother…" called out Viktor from the doorway as he walked in. Kalura gasped and looked over at him, her eyes wide and watery.

" _Viktor_!" she cried, rushing to greet her eldest in a crushing hug. Grisha had a small smile on his face, happy that his son had come to visit after four more years of peril in the military.

"I'm so glad you're back safe and sound," she whispered into his chest, releasing him afterwards and kissing his cheek. "Why didn't you send a letter?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," he answered simply as he sat on the table across Eren and Grisha, giving a sideways hug to his father before he did so. Kalura just shook her head, smiling slightly as she prepared plates for her eldest and the children.

"Ah, mother's cooking. Always miss that in the Survey Corps. Food's never really good there," he claimed, taking an exaggerated sniff of his plate, and then digging in.

"Kalura, Eren wishes to join the Survey Corps," Mikasa blurted out suddenly, causing a myriad of different reactions. Kalura gasped in horror and looked at Eren with wide eyes, Grisha looked at him impassively, and Viktor looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Eren could only gape at Mikasa, his food completely forgotten. He was interrupted when Kalura bounded over to him and gripped his shoulders tightly, forcing him to look at her.

"Get that ridiculous thought out of your head right this instant, Eren!" she commanded forcefully, shaking him slightly.

"Wait, you haven't even heard my reasons for joining in the first place!" Eren retorted loudly.

"I don't care about them! You are not joining, _and that's final_! I already have one son of mine at risk of dying every single day outside the walls, _and I won't have another_!" Kalura fired back, a tad louder, shaking her head in the process.

"Mother," spoke Viktor sternly. She turned on him, her eyes wide and furious.

" _What_?!" she almost shouted at him.

"Let us hear his reasons for joining," he suggested, not taking his eyes off Eren. In his peripheral vision, he noticed Mikasa looking at him with slightly wide eyes.

"You can't be seriously considering to _support_ him, are you?" she asked, stupefied.

"I never said that," Viktor shook his head, closing his eyes momentarily. "Let's hear them, Eren. However, let me be clear. If you want to join just to see the outside world, you might as well walk out the gates now, for you won't last long in the Corps."

" _Viktor_!" Kalura nearly shrieked, scandalized. Eren looked down for a few moments.

"I…" began Eren softly, hesitatingly, before steeling his resolve and looking straight at his brother. "I want to ensure that the sacrifices of those before me aren't in vain. I want to fight for a better future for humanity, for our _children_. I want us to be free from these walls, to be able to wake up from this nightmare with _true_ _freedom_!"

Viktor whistled slightly in response, while everyone stared silently at him, not expecting his answer at all.

"Well, those are things I didn't expect an _11 year old_ to say. My, my, you have matured, Eren. Already thinking about your future children with Mikasa? How _bold_ of you!" he teased, earning embarrassed blushes and some sputtering from both pre-teens. "I honestly expected something about seeing the outside world, or something more childish than that."

"Yeah, I thought about _that_ at first, but then I _truly_ began to think about it, and came up with that," Eren replied, after recovering his composure.

"Well, I do have to admit that they're pretty good reasons, but have you even considered just _how bad_ the outside world is?" asked Viktor, getting serious once more.

" _Of course I have_!" answered Eren heatedly. "I know there's Titans all over the place, and that they'll kill you without a moment's notice, but I still want to _fight_!"

" _And see your friends die before your eyes_?" Viktor asked aggressively, earning a wide-eyed horrified look from Eren. Not waiting for a response, he continued, "Let me tell you one thing, Eren. Out of my entire graduating class, the 93rd Trainees Squad, only _I_ am still alive, and that's because nobody joined the Military Police! _All_ of my closest friends have been eaten by Titans _before my eyes_! Hell, I even saw my _girlfriend_ get eaten by a Titan!"

Everyone, except Grisha, who looked on grimly, stared at Viktor in terror.

"Are you willing to see _Mikasa_ die because of your ambition?!"

 _That_ was the question that had Eren silenced for a while, his expression scrunched up in a myriad of emotions he could not even distinguish. Would he be willing to see Mikasa die if it meant fighting for humanity in the outside world? _Of course not!_ He would protect her!

"She won't die, because I will protect her!" he declared passionately, trying his best to maintain his resolved expression.

Mikasa looked at Eren, feeling oddly warm inside. His passionate declaration stirred something within her, something that screamed at her to do the same for Eren. Yes, she would protect him, even from _himself_ , if necessary.

 _"_ _Foolish_ idealistic words, Eren," Viktor shot down fiercely. " _Foolish_ idealistic words from a man who hasn't seen _true hell_. Those were the _exact same_ words I told my Commanding Officer about Anna, and _look where that got me_! She _died_ protecting _me!_ And I was the top graduate in my squad!"

"Then I'll grow even _stronger_ than you!" Eren proclaimed. Viktor smirked, though it wasn't happy. It was a downright sneer, derisive as they came.

"You don't understand, do you? No matter how strong you grow, Eren, _they_ will always be stronger. This is a cruel world, where only the strong survive," the elder Yeager brother growled. "In this case, _they_ are the strong, and the margin is _unimaginable_. The _only_ way you could even stand a _modicum_ of a chance is to become one of _them_ , a pure, unbridled _killing machine!_ "

" _Viktor_ …" whispered Grisha warningly, narrowing his eyes at his eldest, a gesture not missed by Mikasa. The aforementioned young adult looked at his father, and nodded.

"Then I _will_ do it! I'll become one of _them_! If it means protecting her, then _so be it_!" Eren shouted, nearly at the top of his lungs, while slamming his hands down on the table.

Mikasa could only gape at Eren. Did she just hear him right? Was he willing to become one of _them_ only to protect _her_?! This brought a blush that she quickly hid behind her scarf, a blush that surpassed all of the previous ones.

For what seemed like an eternity, the two brothers stared at each other, one indifferently, the other passionately. Then, Viktor smiled… widely.

"You already have what it takes to go far in the Survey Corps, Eren. I'm proud," he declared, reaching over the table and patting his little brother's head. Said little brother gaped at him confusedly, obviously expecting some sort of verbal deterrent.

Kalura threw her hands up in a gesture of surrender, shook her head while muttering unintelligibly, and stomped over to the kitchen to wash dishes.

"Willingness to abandon one's humanity for the mere purpose of protecting something or fighting for it is a _very_ admirable quality. _Few_ soldiers possess it, and those few tend to rise to the top in this world," Viktor said softly.

"A word of advice, though. Do not let your judgment be clouded by ideals. While good to have, ideals should be _just_ that… ideals. You need to have a very firm grasp on reality, for it'll keep you grounded at all times and ready for whatever may come at you.

"Ideals and reality are two _very_ different things, Eren, and not being able to distinguish between them can get you and Mikasa killed. Keep this advice in mind, and you'll be fine in the Survey Corps," spoke Viktor in a wise manner.

"Why do you keep including Mikasa in all of this?" asked Eren confusedly, though he couldn't help the look of admiration at his brother's praise.

"Isn't it obvious?" Viktor inquired, raising an eyebrow. "She will follow you wherever you go, Eren. I can see it in her eyes… Oh yes, I know those eyes. They were the exact same eyes Anna gave me when she decided on joining the Survey Corps with me."

Eren looked over at Mikasa, and, almost immediately, could see what his brother was talking about. She was looking at him with determination in her eyes, a smoldering look that was completely unbecoming of her stoic personality. He was right… she _was_ willing to follow him, to _Hell_ if it meant she would be with him.

"Alright, Viktor. I'll keep that in mind," responded Eren with finality. "Thank you for listening to me. I really appreciate it."

Victor snorted, "Hah, sure, Eren. That's what older brothers are for… to listen to their foolish, idealistic little brothers ramble about their farfetched future goals."

" _Hey!_ "

" _Anyways_!" Viktor laughed, leaning back on his chair. "Tell me, how goes your training?"

"It's been much better," said Eren furtively. "I've even found a sparring partner here in Mikasa. I've taught her everything you've taught me."

"Really now? Ho… Well, you both are going to have to train even harder if you wish to last long in the military. But, I'm sure you've already figured that, correct…?"

Both pre-teens nodded assertively. Viktor smiled slightly, and stood, his lunch already finished.

"Well, thanks for the lunch, mother. I wish I could stay, and I know it hasn't even been an hour, but Commander Shadis is a little on the crazy side, so I bet he'll give me a little grief once I get there." Noticing his mother's concerned expression, he quickly continued, "No need to worry. It's nothing major. It's just the way he is."

Kalura nodded, sighing sadly. She finished cleaning the dish that was in her hands, and walked over to the standing Viktor and hugged him tightly.

"Be safe, okay?" she whispered lovingly. "And write more frequently. I want to know about your suicidal adventures."

"Will do, mother," Viktor whispered softly, kissing her forehead.

"Dear, I will be leaving too, or I'll be late to the ferry," spoke up Grisha, grabbing his suitcase and a brown top hat from the table nearest the front door. Kalura disengaged from Viktor and went over to Grisha, lightly kissing him in the lips.

"Very well, darling, be careful as well," she cautioned her husband.

"I will be. Expect me back in about a week or so," he told her, before turning to Eren, pulling out a large key from under his shirt. "Oh, and Eren… behave yourself and take care of your mother and Mikasa. If you do so, when I return, I shall show you my work under the cellar. Deal?"

Eren beamed at his father. He _finally_ was going to get to see what his father's cellar. He wondered just _what_ he was working that he adamantly tried to keep secret from him. Well, that would no longer be the case! All he had to do was behave and take care of Mikasa and his mother? _Piece of cake_!

"Deal, dad!" Eren exclaimed excitedly, not noticing the odd, glinting stare Viktor was giving Grisha. Mikasa, though, noticed, and narrowed her eyes. "Have a safe trip!"

Waving his hand behind his head, Grisha exited the door.

"Well, that's my cue to leave, as well," Viktor piped up. He walked over to Eren and patted him on the head, saying, "Well, Eren. Keep training hard, and see ya in the Corps in a few years."

"Viktor," Kalura began, sighing in dismay. "Shouldn't you be helping _me_ discourage _him_ from joining?"

"I can't do that. Words won't penetrate this brat's thick skull," Viktor replied negatively, earning an indignant huff from said kid, and a small smile from Mikasa. "All you can do is prepare for the worst while hoping for the best."

"Right…" was all Kalura said. "Very well. Take care, son. I love you."

"Love you too, mother," he returned. He then turned to Eren, "Take care of Mikasa, Eren. Always stick together, for it only increases your chances of survival. I love you, little brother."

"Don't make it gay, Viktor," Eren replied sarcastically. Viktor just laughed uproariously.

" _Touché_ , brother," he answered. Turning to Mikasa, he said, "Take care, Mikasa. Also, make sure you keep my brother in line. He tends to get a little… _feisty_."

Mikasa only nodded, not finding it necessary to respond.

Without any further ado, Viktor left, leaving Kalura, Mikasa and Eren in a rather awkward silence. Then, without even sparing a look at her youngest, Kalura went over to the kitchen and worked on the dishes.

"Mom?" tried Eren tentatively.

No response…

He understood… perfectly. As much as he wanted to be mad at her for exploding like that on him, he just _couldn't_. He understood perfectly that she was probably even _more_ upset than he was. After all, her youngest son, along with her adoptive daughter, would soon be joining the military, or to be more specific, the _Survey Corps_ , exposing their lives to the infinite dangers going to the outside world brought.

The chance of dying was just so high…

He was certain that she wouldn't be able to bear with the news of one of them dying, if it so happened in the future. He silently vowed to become the strongest along with Mikasa and Armin, and be as careful as he could, so much so, that it would border on paranoia.

"Mom…" he began again, approaching her figure. "I'll be out training with Mikasa and Armin. "I'll be back later, okay? I love you."

All movements made by his mother were brought to a screeching halt. Concerned, Eren made to look around and see what was wrong, but stopped when his mother unconsciously dropped the plate she was cleaning, turned around in a flash, kneeled and grappled him in one of the tightest hugs he ever felt from her.

He could feel her shaking, and he couldn't help but grit his teeth. He made her cry… He _hated_ himself for doing that.

"I love you too, you _irresponsible_ brat!" she replied shakily, rearing her head and giving him a watery kiss on the forehead. "Be careful, okay? Don't overwork yourself. You too, Mikasa."

Both pre-teens nodded, and exited the house with a wave and a "goodbye".

…

Eren couldn't believe how _bad_ things had gotten a few hours after he left home. His befuddled mind couldn't even process _half_ of it!

Right after they left home, him and Mikasa found Armin fighting with three older children. Well, more like Armin getting thrown around, but still, that wasn't the point.

After scaring off the three bullies, all three children went off to the north gate, into the field where they picked up their firewood and did their usual training activities.

When they were done, they went over to Armin's home, and the blond, physically frail pre-teen took out a book written by a man who had supposedly ventured into the outside world, and had seen many things that were just impossible to imagine (for Eren, in any case).

First, how could there be a huge body of water with an infinite amount of salt? Did the writer even _know_ how _rare_ and _expensive_ salt was? If it was so infinite, why hasn't it been used as a resource?

Oh right… it was the _Titans'_ fault.

Anyways, after Armin had finished detailing both children about his parents sneaking out into the outside world and entertaining the idea of doing it themselves, _everything went straight to Hell_.

First, there was an immensely bright flash of green light right outside the gate, shortly followed by a shockwave that violently shook the ground where they stood on, making them lose their balance.

When they managed to get on their feet, they noticed people up into the air, possibly at the wall.

The moment they saw what they were pointing at, he wished he wouldn't have seen it…

Steam billowed from a little beyond the wall. As if in slow motion, an enormous, skinless face emerged from the steamy cloud, looking down on the comparatively puny people.

 _It was a Titan…_ an ungodly _huge_ Titan.

"H-How…" stuttered Armin, his expressive blue eyes widened in absolute horror. "That wall is 50 meters tall! And that Titan is _looking over_ it!"

"So that's a Titan…" whispered Eren, in mostly fear and a little awe.

Suddenly, the southern gate exploded, causing a shockwave of incredible proportions that literally blew through the nearby houses as if they were made of _cards_. Large debris flew from it, crashing onto many different sections of Shiganshina, crushing whoever was unfortunate enough to find themselves beneath the rocky rain.

However, one rock crashed, to his horror, near the place where his home was located. Crushing dread began to take over, a dread that he would've noticed in the usually stoic Mikasa had he turned to look at her.

The inhabitants that were staring began to run in the direction of the northern gate, screaming out in terror.

"No…" he breathed, slowly stepping forward, extending his hand towards his home. Without giving any warning, he rushed forward, shouting "MOM!" at the top of his lungs. Mikasa closely followed, though Armin stayed frozen. He couldn't care less right now.

His _mother_ was in danger! He needed to _save_ her!

 _'_ _Please be okay, mom. Oh God, please be okay, mom!'_ he frantically thought as he sprinted forward. As he ran, he saw a mother wailing in despair at a bloody rock, and he quickly saw why. A tiny, childish hand was sticking from underneath the rock.

Idly, he noticed tall, humanoid creatures stomping their way through town amidst the screams that pierced the late afternoon. Awful crunching noises could be heard throughout.

The Titans had begun their senseless, purposeless eating.

He turned on the street where his home was, and his heart stopped. He didn't even notice Mikasa stop beside him. He just didn't have the mental faculties for such a menial task.

His eyes were wide in unbridled fear, horror and despair, and tears began to accumulate. There, in front of him, his home lay, _crushed_ under the immense weight of one of the wall's flung out pieces.

" _MOM!"_ he screamed as he flew up the stairs into the collapsed remains of his home. His tears were already flowing freely as his eyes landing on the prone form of his mother, her lower body buried under the debris.

"Mom!" he shouted again, kneeling to the right of her. He grasped the wooden roof, and tried to lift it with all his might, but it didn't budge a single inch. "Mikasa, help me!"

Without answering, Mikasa leaned to the left and grasped the roof and began to fruitlessly pull up.

"Eren…" began his mother softly. "W-What are y-you doing…?"

"I'm getting you out of here, mom!" responded Eren loudly, futilely trying to fight back the flow of tears as he continued struggling with the roof.

Enormous footsteps rang out closely to them, and they seemed to be approaching…

"E-Eren…" Kalura spoke, tears beginning to fill her eyes as she instantly recognized the sound. "My legs are c-crushed. I w-won't be able to r-run!"

"I'll carry you then!" he shouted back, feeling the wooden splinters beginning to stab painfully into his fingers. Blood leaked freely, staining the ground.

"Y-You won't r-run quick e-enough!" Kalura protested weakly, succumbing to her sobbing.

"SHUT UP!" Eren roared fiercely, closing his eyes and scrunching his face in a despairing rage.

" _Listen to me, Eren!_ " she wailed painfully. "Get out of here! You and Mikasa! You need to live!"

" _I WON'T LEAVE YOU!"_ Eren cried, already beginning to lose himself into his despair as he failed to move the roof a single inch. Mikasa had already stopped a while ago, as she had succumbed to a fit of silent sobs.

It was happening to her _again_ … she was losing her family…

 _Powerless_ …

Eren was cursing himself for being so _powerless_ at being able to save his mother. Tears of self-hatred, anguish, despair, any negative emotion imaginable began to flow like the river that cut through town. His mother was going to die… and he was _powerless_ to stop it!

The immense footsteps were already shaking the foundation of their home. The Titan was already near, but Eren was too stubborn to let go. In fact, its head was already visible above the roof… its perpetually smiling, positively _hideous_ head.

All three paled in pure, unadulterated terror. Kalura turned to her son, hating herself for the question she was about to ask her son.

" _Are you willing to see Mikasa die, Eren…?_ "

The unexpected question shocked Eren so much that he let go of the roof. He stared at his mom disbelievingly. He opened his mouth multiple times, but failed to articulate anything. Tearful anger began to flow through him.

How _dare_ his mother ask such a question at this time?!

"N-No, but I'm not willing to see _you_ die, either!" Eren replied furiously, once again trying to lift the roof. He heard the sound of wire moving towards him, as well as a dull thud.

A soldier had arrived…

"Alright, I'm here, guys. Let me help you out," spoke a familiar voice. It was _Hannes_.

"Hannes! Get the kids out of here!" Kalura ordered him. "A Titan's already here!"

"Come now, Kalura! I'm a _Captain_ of the Garrison! I was _trained_ for this!" said Hannes confidently as he prepped two straight, sectioned blades connected to the operating devices of his Three-Dimensional Maneuvering Gear.

Without another word, he bounded towards the Titan, readying his blades. But, before he could even launch his grappling hooks, he froze in fear.

The sheer hideousness of the Titan's perpetual smile activated an age-old instinct of recognition of the superior predator within him. He couldn't help it. The Titan was just to terrifying to face in battle. With its hideous face, its 14 meter stature, the extremely large, visible ribcage, and comparatively wire-thin arms, it was a creature of the most horrific of nightmares! Gritting his teeth, he rushed over to the children, and quickly shouldered them, the adrenaline screaming through his system.

"W-What are you d-doing?!" shouted Eren in surprise, not caring about the pain that wracked his bloodied hands.

"I'm getting you out of here, kids. There's nothing you can do," spoke Hannes, hating his lack of courage in facing the overwhelming odds that he was up against.

" _To hell with that!_ " Eren roared in response, barely containing his anger at the blond man. He struggled to free himself from his grip, but he found himself unable to.

"Thank you… Hannes," spoke Kalura, weeping freely as the trio ran away from her future grave. She managed to catch Eren's eyes, and yelled, "LIVE ON, EREN! PROTECT MIKASA WITH YOUR LIFE! _I LOVE YOU_!"

Eren watched, frozen stiff with tears of despair, as the Smiling Titan loomed over his fallen home as his mother finished her loving proclamation. Slowly, its enormous hand descended and removed the roof from his mother in one fell swoop, as if he were brushing away a pile of _leaves_.

As if in slow motion, the Smiling Titan lifted his mother with one hand, bringing her close to its hideous face. Not a second later, it squeezed, eliciting a gut-wrenching crunch as her entire bone structure was mercilessly crushed under the pressure. As he saw blood fly away from her mouth, the Titan brought her entire body to its mouth and snapped it shut, causing another ungodly crunch and making blood splatter all over the vicinity.

Time had stopped for Eren, his pupils dilating as they took in the horrific image of his mother being _munched on_ by a Titan. He felt something had died within him when he saw that image. He was forcefully reminded of the dream he had earlier in the day, only this time it he was screaming in pure despair instead of Mikasa.

" _MOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!"_

His cry of despair pierced the vicinity, announcing the loss of what Eren Yeager held most precious in the whole world, churning the insides of the two that heard it. They did not need to turn around to know of the horror that had just taken place before Eren's eyes.

Mikasa wanted, with every fiber of her body, to comfort the grief-stricken Eren. But, not taking the physical limiter into account, she had no earthly idea how to _do_ it in the first place! Hell, she couldn't even take care of her _own_ grief! Squeezing her teeth tightly as the tears flowed, Mikasa only hoped that she would be strong enough to comfort Eren, and he strong enough to comfort her, for they both had lost everything, she for a second time.

They _needed_ each other…

As they crossed the northern gate of the now fallen Shiganshina District, one thing was painfully clear in the two pre-teens' minds…

Their lives would _never_ be the same…

…

Out of the 10000 inhabitants of Shiganshina District and the settlement outside the northern gate, only 250 survived, including Eren, Mikasa and Armin. Men, women, and children… all of them died in the span of an hour, relentlessly devoured by the unscrupulous Titans. In only half that time, the northern gate of the town was breached by the Armored Titan, signifying the ultimate fall of Wall Maria.

It was the massacre of the century. Such a horrifying incident had never been seen before in the history of the walls.

Humanity was once again reminded that they were cattle ready for slaughter, that there was no stopping the Titans, and that their time was ultimately running out.

They said that peace had finally arrived to stay.

Today was _all_ but _peaceful_ …

…

* * *

 _ **And it's over!**_

 _ **This is my longest prologue I have yet to write in one of my fanfics. I'm also kind of iffy on the fact that it's very similar to the canon intro, but seriously, you can't change much of that. Well, only the characters and their personalities.**_

 _ **I find myself pretty satisfied with this prologue, considering I spent two days of diligent work on it.**_

 _ **You can expect future chapters to be of this length, if not a little shorter.**_

 _ **Before you ask... Yes, this will be a different, stronger Eren, and at times he will seem a too OoC. I know, but it's the way I decided to write him. Same will go with the other characters at some point or the other in the story.**_

 _ **Also, Viktor Yeager will be the only important OC that will appear in this story. He will actually play a crucial role. Other OCs will most likely be cannon fodder. **_

_**Anyways, thank you for reading!**_

 _ **Please! Review, review, review!**_

 _ **Until next time! Ciao!**_


	2. Welcome to Hell

_**Greetings, everyone!**_

 _ **I have not much to say about this chapter, only that it is finished! It took me some time, but I have it done!**_

 _ **You might notice as you read that some sections are similar to canon, though I daresay a larger portion of it is AU.**_

 _ **I do have a question. Should I have anyone serve as Viktor's love interest during the story? If so, who? Or should it be an OC like him? Initial thoughts have me considering Hange (yes, that means that in my fic, she's a girl). Leave your answer in a review or a PM. I would really like to see what y'all think.**_

 _ **I didn't post this last chapter, but the story that inspired me into writing this fic is called "Remnants", by whyspers. It's an absolutely phenomenal story that I completely recommend, and that I wish my fellow writer would update.**_

 _ **Anyways, onto the story!**_

 _ **Please read and review!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

 ** _Disclaimer:_ I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin, its rights or any of its characters, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hajime Isayama. I only own my OCs, my Titan Forms, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " " = **Dialogue**

 **Die! " " = Non-Human Speech  
**

 _What? ' ' =_ **Thoughts**

 _ **Oh dear... ' ' =**_ **Non-Human Thoughts**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Welcome to Hell**

 _It was dark, once again…_

 _He was alone, once again…_

 _This time, though, he could actually see, though his vision was so blurred he could only see a few meters ahead of him._

 _He seemed to be in a forest. The multitude of trees towered majestically over him, though they were not lively as spring or summer would dictate for them. No, they looked dead, blacker than the night sky, with no leaves at their canopy._

 _"_ _Eren, you must stay still!"_

 _"_ _Dad, what are you doing?!" he asked weakly._

 _Oh, he could actually move this time, and he was struggling mightily. Against who or what, he did not know, but he was giving it his all._

 _His arms were restrained by something he could not discern, the grip as unbreakable as diamond. No matter how hard he tried, he could not break free. To makes things even weirder, the grip felt… human._

 _There was somebody gripping him, and by God he could not figure out who it was._

 _"_ _Eren, you must stay still so I can properly give you this power!"_

 _That voice was unmistakably his father, but what did he mean by "giving him this power"?_

 _What the hell was he trying to give to him? And did it have something to do with the syringe that seemed to be in front of him?_

 _He could make out the expression his father held, and it flat out terrified him. Just what was going on that made his father look so_ insane _?!_

 _"_ _There's not much time," his father stated. "Stay still, Eren! I'm giving you this power to protect Mikasa!"_

 _"_ _To… p-protect h-her…?" he asked, his eyes wide in confusion and not a little fear._

 _"_ _Yes, Eren! To protect her! You must! You're the only one who will be able to control it!" his father shouted, not making the least bit of sense._

 _"_ _Do it, Eren," spoke a new voice that was unmistakably Viktor's. "Do it… for Mikasa… for humanity…"_

 _His vision flashed on and off, blacking out in what seemed to be unconsciousness before returning mere seconds afterwards._

 _Somewhere, in his fear-addled mind, he relented. If it was to protect Mikasa, he would accept_ any _power. If it meant the possibility of giving humanity a better chance against the titans, then_ so be it _!_

 _"_ _Good, Eren. Stay still like that. It'll be over in just a moment," spoke his father, bringing the large needle to his arm. "It will hurt, it will be painful. But it will be worth it…! I know you'll be able to harness this power when the time comes!"_

 _Soon afterwards, he began screaming in incomprehensible pain as the burning, magma-like liquid coursed through his veins. As he did that, he felt his father place something around his neck, something heavy, cool and metallic._

 _"_ _You will have questions. You will have doubts. All will be answered by your brother and that key. Remember this, you must return to Shiganshina! My cellar contains the answers your brother won't be able to provide!"_

 _As he succumbed into blissful unconsciousness, he heard his father's final words…_

 _"_ _Forgive me… Eren…"_

 _…_

Eren shot up, holding his forehead as cold sweat dripped profusely. His face was scrunched up in momentary pain, before descending into a haze of impassivity. He looked around, remembering that he was in the small, one-bedroom cabin gifted to him, Mikasa, and Armin by Jacques, the owner of a farm beyond Wall Rose, the second of the three walls.

 _'_ _That dream again…'_ he mused mentally. _'Why do I keep dreaming the same thing?'_

Two years passed since the fall of Shiganshina and the traumatic death of his mother. Ever since then, they stuck together, braving the uncertain future and grim situations they were thrust into. Right after the fall, they were moved by the military to a small refuge outside of Trost District, and worked along with the refugees, including Armin's grandfather.

Living conditions were grim and unhealthy, with them three sleeping together on the floor in a lounge filled to the brim with other refugees, some of them sick beyond salvation. It was a miracle none of them fell sick.

There was little food, causing widespread famine due to the sudden, exponential increase of demand for it. Civilian unrest was growing just as exponentially as the demand, with the military serving little purpose in dissuading the debacle.

People fought tooth and nail for the scraps of food that were available, and not a small amount of them died in the riots that flared up. Eren honestly thought their current living conditions were far worse than they were before Wall Maria fell, but there was nothing he could do. Those despicable Titans made sure of that.

All he could honestly do was take care of Mikasa and Armin and make sure they all survived until they were 13, the minimum age to join the military.

Finally, in 846, after a year of hardships he never thought they would face in their young lives, an order was given, an order that was completely nonsensical, yet at the same time served as a temporary solution to the growing famine they were facing.

All adult refugees from Wall Maria were gathered and sent outside of Wall Rose, under the pretext of "territory reclamation". In just under a month, 250,000 refugees were rounded up, just a little over 20 percent of humanity's remaining population. Fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers… _all_ adults of able bodies were sent outside the walls to death's patient jaws. Of them all, less than 100 returned, and all of them committed suicide shortly afterwards, unable to cope with the horrific memories of carnage and blood.

Armin's grandfather perished and it caused him incomprehensible grief, easily matching the grief felt by both Eren and Mikasa when Kalura died. All that the blond child had from his grandfather was the hat he left him before he departed.

It went to show just how overwhelmingly powerful the Titans were, that not even an immense army (though untrained) could stand a chance. As gruesome and inhumane as it was, it helped lessen the famine by an enormous degree, actually allowing the pre-teens a whole meal and two lesser ones per day, when before they would get _much_ _less_ than that.

And so, they departed to a new refuge, a farm a little further away from Trost, not wanting Armin to wallow in grief. The owner of the farm they worked in was, fortunately, a rather nice person, giving them the old cabin that was near the barn as a home to the three of them, not to mention an extended invitation to join them in mealtimes with his family.

They were allowed time to themselves if they worked diligently during the day, time they mostly spent training and preparing for the military. A year was spent following that routine.

Even though only two years passed since Wall Maria's fall, they began to show signs of physical maturation.

Eren was the tallest of the three, now standing at five feet and three inches, and was beginning to show defined musculature in every part of his body. The baby fat he once held was slowly, but steadily becoming a distant memory. His facial features had begun to sharpen, and he allowed his hair to grow somewhat, the longest strands falling just above his eyebrows.

Mikasa was the second tallest, standing at five feet and two inches. Her hair was still as long as it was two years ago, and she still wore the dark-red scarf given to her by Eren, but her body already began to show signs of feminine growth. Her breasts had developed somewhat, leaving her at a low B-cup, and her hips had begun to widen, a preamble to her future hourglass figure. She, too, was beginning to show defined musculature throughout.

Armin, the shortest of the three, stood at five feet flat. He was still the pudgiest and most childish, but it was steadily being remedied. His frail structure was beginning to fade, giving way to a slightly more defined body that would only grow over time. Though he was the weakest, he was _far_ stronger than he was before. The death of his grandfather served as an incredible motivator.

Living in that farm was probably the only good thing that happened to them in the past two years.

Now, they were getting ready for the next step… the _military_ …

Hearing small, terrified gasps beside him that snapped him out of his reverie, he turned his head, his sight landing on the sweaty form of Mikasa Ackerman lying next to him in bed. She was moving around, her face twisted in pain and fear. He could see her night clothes drenched in sweat, clinging tightly to her rapidly developing teenage body.

A year ago, they had gotten into the habit of sleeping together, due to the fact that their presence helped ward the nightmares away, and gave them a sense of peace. Yes, it seemed Mikasa kept getting nightmares as well. Terrible ones, as evidenced by her uncharacteristic shaking and gasping, not to mention the fearful expressions.

He idly wondered if there were anything similar to his… As farfetched as that thought was, they could be.

There were no ulterior motives, no impure thoughts in the act of sleeping together. They were each other's world, and they needed each other's comfort when nights got more than a little turbulent. The peace they felt when they slept together surpassed anything else they had felt before, with the obvious exception being their mothers' loving embrace.

Without preamble, he stuck his arm out and gripped her shoulder gently, shaking her awake. Her striking, stormy-gray eyes snapped open, swiveling wildly in their sockets before finally landing on him.

"E-Eren…?" she whispered weakly. She sat up, with some assistance provided by him.

"I'm here, Mikasa. It's okay. It was just a nightmare," Eren soothed, reeling her in to a somewhat tight embrace that she welcomed. When he let her go, he asked, "What was it about?"

"I… I don't know. I can't remember much," she replied honestly, looking deeply into his emerald-green eyes that calmed her very soul. "It felt so real, though…"

Eren nodded mutely, grasping her hand in a comforting gesture. Mikasa silently thanked him, though when she looked to his forehead and noticed the sweat dripping down much like hers, she grew slightly concerned.

"How did you sleep, Eren?" she asked, brushing some sweat off his forehead. He shrugged noncommittally.

"I had a nightmare, too," responded Eren, somewhat enjoying the small, curious glint that appeared in her eyes.

"Was it the same dream you've been having lately? Do you remember anything _else_ about it?" she quickly inquired.

He shook his head, opening mouth to respond, "Yes, it's the same dream I've been having these past two years. I don't remember much, like before… It was almost like the one I had before Shiganshina's fall, yet… this one was different. For one, my dad appears, and Viktor does, too. Second, it felt real… _far_ _too_ _real_ … just like yours…"

She raised her eyebrow in intrigue, worry beginning to grip her slightly. She nodded, prompting him to continue.

"Ever since the first time, all I can remember from it is my dad injecting me, pain worse than anything I've ever felt before, and him giving me the key to his cellar…" he spoke, digging into his shirt and pulling out his key.

"Did Viktor say anything this time?" she asked, extending her hand towards his and grasping the key. Of course, she knew about the key's significance since he first got it two years ago. After all, she was there when he mentioned its purpose before Shiganshina fell. However, she just couldn't explain how he got it.

"He said that whatever my dad gave me was to protect _you_ ," he whispered, looking straight into her eyes, a powerfully protective glint on them that made her blush slightly.

The presence of the key obviously meant that the dream was real. But, where was his father, then? What did he inject him with? It was obviously something thick and hot, for he distinctly remembered the burning pain he felt when the magma-like liquid coursed through his veins.

But, _what_ did it do to him? Why hadn't Viktor searched for him, or even presented himself with the answers he supposedly knew?

"In the dream, he told me that any doubt I have, or will have, will be answered by my brother and his cellar when I return to Shiganshina," Eren stated softly, absentmindedly placing the key back into his shirt. "The key being on my person obviously means that it wasn't just a dream. It _happened_ , and it was two years ago. I just am not sure exactly _when_."

"Go back to Shiganshina?" questioned Mikasa incredulously, ignoring his second statement. "That is plain suicide, Eren. Don't tell me you're actually thinking of going?"

"Don't worry, I'm not, Mikasa. At least, not now," Eren spoke soothingly, gripping her hand. "Let us get stronger, and we'll begin to think about it _after_ we join the Survey Corps and serve for a few years. How does that sound?"

Mikasa still looked reluctant, but relented when she locked stares with his emerald-green eyes.

 _'_ _Yes,'_ she thought. _'That is a logical course of action.'_

She was glad he was being so level-headed, for patiently waiting until he was in the Survey Corps and not jumping at the opportunity to find whatever answers he sought and run straight into the jaws of death. It was something the younger Eren would most likely not do, even if he was rather mature at that point in time.

Going back to Shiganshina as it was right now was plain suicide, even _with_ the Survey Corps. Going _alone_ …? _That_ was sheer, unbridled _stupidity_ , and she was positively elated Eren wasn't thinking about that.

As much as she hated to think about it, an unnecessary, meaningless death did not suit him. She had a gut feeling that he was meant for more… _much_ more. And she sure as hell was going to be there for him and help him on the way to greatness.

"Anyways, let's go make some breakfast and wake Armin up," Eren interrupted her thoughts, changing the subject. "After all, this is our last week working here!"

Mikasa mentally cursed herself for not remembering that.

Yes, after two long years of enduring hardships no child should face, they were finally at the minimum age to join the military. They would finally get the necessary training to bring the fight back to the Titans. They were finally a step closer to achieving Eren's dream of joining the Survey Corps.

"Eren, Mikasa, are you awake?" called out Armin's voice from outside the room.

"Yeah," Eren answered, getting off the bed. "We'll be out there in a bit."

They showered (separately, of course), got dressed, and exited the room, greeting Armin, who was already ready. The breakfast they cooked was small, yet pleasant.

They fell into reminiscence, though, knowing that in the very near future, they wouldn't be able to have breakfasts as peaceful as these. Sure, in the military they would be able to eat together, but there would be other people, the rations would be cooked by somebody else, and there would be a much stricter time limit.

"You know," Armin piped up. "It's going to be hard saying goodbye to Jacques and his family. They really did treat us well this past year we were working here. Not to mention, Lyra has a big crush on you, Eren."

Mikasa bristled, looking at the blonde teen icily.

"Well, that doesn't matter right now," Eren dissuaded, noticing Mikasa's look. "Let's make the most out of this week, and worry about saying goodbye later."

"Yeah…" agreed Mikasa, finally tearing off her unnerving glance from Armin, who was actually cowering back slightly. "Let's go."

No further words were spoken as they walked into their last week of farm work…

…

Before they even knew it, the week passed, and now the Shiganshina Trio found themselves standing at attention in a rectangular formation with well over 200 other recruits in the 104th Trainees Squad Boot Camp.

The farewell at Jacques' home was more emotional than what was expected. It was obvious that the middle-aged head of the family truly cared for the well-being of the Shiganshina Trio, not looking at them as if they were just cattle, only useful for working the fields, but as a part of his family. He graciously conveyed the spot they had taken in the man's heart by tightly hugging them and wishing them well on their future endeavors.

It was the same with Jacques' wife, Eleanor. She thoroughly enjoyed the company the teenagers provided for her, her daughter and her husband, and the immense help they were when doing household chores. In the short year they spent together, she looked at them as if they were her children, going out of her way to provide clothing, food and maternal warmth to them. She was struck deeply by the news of their impending departure, and cried not a small amount of tears when they left.

Lyra, somewhat unsurprisingly, was moody during the week, not speaking to the trio when they announced their departure. It was a front, however, for she spent many nighttime hours awake, sometimes reminiscing, and sometimes crying. It was no secret that she had a monumental crush on Eren, and because of him she made it her goal to join the military, much to her parents' dismay. However, being the tender age of 10, it was not possible for her to join alongside her crush.

When they left, though, she broke down, tearfully bidding the trio goodbye, and giving Eren a bone-crushing hug and wet kiss to the cheek (much to Mikasa's shock and not so hidden jealousy). She passionately vowed that she would join the military when she reached the age of 13, vocally citing Eren as her inspiration.

Eren felt happiness at her declaration, and apprehension at the icy glare he received from the stormy-eyed girl he called… bedmate (not in the sexual manner, of course).

"Alright, piss-ants, listen up!"

A loud, deep, frankly intimidating voice rang out into the area, slicing through the tense silence like a knife through butter, breaking Eren out of his reverie.

A tall, bald man of intimidating aura, with a short beard, prominent wrinkles in his forehead and dark circles around his eyes that gave him a tormented, imposing look, marched towards the trainees from one of the cabins. Wearing a Training Corps Instructor uniform, consisting of an olive-green trench coat bearing the emblem of the 104th on both shoulders, the left breast and the back, with a dark, long-sleeved shirt underneath, white pants and brown, knee-length boots, he looked every bit like the instructor he was.

Eren observed him through his peripheral vision, recognition flaring within his emerald green orbs. He knew that man…

"Allow me to introduce myself!" shouted the commander at the top of his voice as he stopped right in front of everyone. "My name is Keith Shadis! I will be your tormentor during the next three years in this boot camp!"

 _Of course!_ That was Viktor's commander in the Survey Corps two years ago!

Eren's eyes widened ever so slightly, though no other motion was present, for he did not want to risk the instructor's ire. He wore the standard military uniform, consisting of pretty much the same thing Instructor Shadis wore, except for the jacket, which was short, and had a light brown color.

Mikasa was standing next to him, the scarf he gifted to her miraculously absent. Armin, though, was a row in front of him, about five people over to the right.

"Now that you're here, let me tell you this!" Shadis roared. "Training in this hell will make facing Titans seem like a peachy walk through heaven! All you sissies will hate me by the time I'm done with you!"

He didn't need to scream his head off for the message to get through, but it didn't matter. It seemed to be a rite of passage, or so Eren thought. He was honestly anticipating what other derogatory statements the instructor would throw at them.

"You are nothing, you hear me?! _NOTHING!"_ Shadis continued, his eyes taking on a maniacal glint. "You are just livestock, cattle ready to be primed and fattened up to feed the Titans' purposeless hunger!

"But that will not be the case in three years! During these three hellish years, you will learn if you've got what it takes to take hell back to the Titans, or if you'll be an appetizer for them!"

Eren couldn't help but smile slightly. This was the military. This was going to be his way of life now. Instead of intimidating him, the instructor's speech only served to rile up his anticipation, his excitement at the prospect of receiving the same training Viktor did.

"Let me be _absolutely_ clear!" Shadis pressed on, his voice suddenly increasing a few decibels, if that was possible. "Out of the 200 plus sissies that are in this camp now, more than half will be riding their wimpy little asses back to the fields _BY TONIGHT!"_

Eren could've sworn he heard a gasp behind him, though he decided not to pay it any mind.

"Out of _that_ remaining group, less than _half_ will survive their _FIRST_ year of service!"

The declaration, while ominous, was just perfectly fitting for the endeavor they were about to jump into. This was no game. This was reality, a reality where only the strong survive, and the rest become edible fodder. This was supposed to make everyone think their brains off, to make them reflect upon the question that coursed through all the recruits' minds at a mile per second and find an answer to it.

 _Were they good enough?_

For many, the cliff-side walls of the man-made hole they would call home seemed to grow ominously, seemingly threatening to swallow them whole, openly mocking their resolve, pushing their mettle to the limit. Some soldiered through the doubt. Others, unfortunately, were swallowed in it, unable to fight it back.

Shadis then marched, almost mechanically, down to the recruits, stopping in front of Armin.

"Now, you! Blondie! Who the hell are you, maggot?!" he shouted, practically shoving his face right in front of the shorter blond teenager. Armin then saluted the instructor in response, closing his eyes.

"My name's Armin Arlert, sir! I hail from Shiganshina District, sir!" Armin declared, somewhat shakily.

"Wow! What kind of _pussy_ name is that?!" Shadis mocked, standing straight once again. Of all the things he could've said to Armin, it had to be _that_. The fact that he loudly declared his Shiganshina origin was completely ignored, except for the sparse gasps that emanated from the other recruits.

"My grandfather gave it to me, sir!" Armin proclaimed, his eyes still tightly shut.

"What's a piss-ant sissy like you doing in the military, Cadet Arlert?!" the bald man inquired.

"To help humanity overcome the Titan threat, sir!" replied Armin, and Eren could've sworn his voice went up a few pitches with that statement.

"I'm happy to hear that!" the instructor stated loudly, with no honest happiness at all, literally slamming his hand on Armin's head. "You're going to be a tasty snack for the Titans! About face, runt! Row three, about face!"

With that, he practically twisted Armin's head, forcefully turning the blond teenager lest he have his neck twisted. The rest of Armin's row followed.

And so, the same process was repeated for several different recruits, with the instructor yelling his head off and viciously insulting and degrading them, sometimes even going as far as to hit them. Names among them were Thomas Wagner, from Trost District, Mina Carolina, from Karanese District, Jean Kirstein (he received a particularly comical head butt), from Trost District, and Marco Bott, from Jinae.

Then, Shadis stopped right in front of Eren, looking at him straight in the eyes. The emerald-eyed teenager stared back unflinchingly, determination set in his eyes. He would not fold to this man, intimidating as he may be.

No words were spoken by the instructor, and Eren detected a hint of what seemed to be recognition within those eyes and, dare he say, regret? This was prompting a few questions to formulate in his head. With a grunt, the instructor moved forward, degrading a recruit named Connie Springer, from Ragako Village, practically lifting him off the ground by the head for getting the salute wrong.

However, nothing in the entire introduction beat what happened next. Shadis, in the midst of lecturing Connie on proper salute form, noticed a rather peculiar sight, a sight completely unfitting of the training field… a recruit _eating_ while at attention, poorly attempting to be subtle.

Every one of the recruits visible in Eren's field of vision was nigh comically gawking at the brown-haired girl. Unaware of all the gawking, the girl continued eating! That seemingly broke the straw for Shadis, for he stomped over to the girl, his veins bulging in anger.

"What the _hell_ do you think _you're_ doing, _runt_?!" he roared, almost scaring the girl into dropping her potato. "Who the _hell_ are _you_?!"

The brown-haired girl slammed her right hand into her chest in salute, the potato held tightly in her hand. "Sasha Blouse, sir! From Dauper Village! Reporting for duty, sir!"

"What the hell is that in your right hand, piss-ant?!" inquired Shadis, shoving himself far into her personal space. The now named Sasha backed up imperceptibly, looking with wide eyes at the commander. However, fear wasn't etched into them. It was confusion.

"A steamed potato, sir! I… saw it in the mess hall, just begging to be eaten!" she replied, an adoring fluctuation present in her tone throughout. This did not appease Shadis, however, for he still looked on venomously at the girl.

"I see… So you _stole_ it," whispered Shadis, sending massive shivers down everyone's spines, except for a select few. "But, I find myself questioning this. _Why here_?"

"It was getting cold, sir," Sasha responded, hesitation now taking over her voice, as well as her expression. "And I could not allow such a delicious-looking potato to become cold."

Shadis still stared at her coldly, his expression now taking a maniacal glint. "I still can't comprehend… _Why_? _Why_ would you _eat_ that potato?"

"A-Are you asking me why people eat potatoes? I'm surprised you don't know, sir." Oh, boy, Sasha was on a roll today, with responses that only seemed to further infuriate the bald instructor. This time, Eren and Mikasa could not help but gape ever so slightly at the brown-haired girl's apparent sheer stupidity.

Eren could've sworn his entire future career in the military that he heard negligibly soft, yet raucous laughter that sounded eerily like Viktor in the back of his head. He brushed it off as a figment of his imagination.

However, when things seemed to be at their worst, _they got worse_! Tearing the potato in half and offering it to Instructor Shadis, Sasha spoke to him, a stupid grin on her face, "Here, sir. Have half…"

 _'_ _May God have mercy on potato girl, for Shadis surely won't,'_ thought Eren, imperceptibly shaking his head in sympathy. It was a thought shared by many.

A shadow seemed to have crept from nowhere onto the instructor's face, somehow completely covering his eyes. He seemed to be struck speechless, but Eren knew better. This man was about to blow his top like an awakening volcano, and the aftermath was _not_ going to be pretty.

"Sunset…" whispered Shadis chillingly, his soft voice still reaching the recruits. It then suddenly rose to a shout, "You will _fucking_ run until the sun fully _fucking_ sets! And you will _lose_ eating privileges _for five fucking days_! _You hear me, piss-ant_?!"

Shadis had struck the jackpot! Sasha's horror-stricken face was honestly absolutely priceless. It almost seemed like the instructor just told her that he killed her favorite puppy. She seemed about to protest, but an even harsher glare from the bald, intimidating instructor quickly silenced her and sent her on her seemingly interminable run.

"One last thing before you sissies get to work!" Shadis said a few minutes after sending off Sasha, stepping in front of the now ashen-faced recruits.

He paused slightly, obviously for dramatic effect. Eren could almost guess with certainty what the instructor was about to say, considering the fact the he said "hell" a million times during introductions.

" _WELCOME TO HELL!"_

…

It was late afternoon, and Eren was tiredly sitting on a chair outside the mess hall, contemplatively staring into the distance, no discernible target in mind. The reddened sky, a signature of sunset, _finally_ began to take over after what seemed to be an eternity.

The physical exercises were brutal, and, compiled with the fast-paced introductory theoretical work, made for a _really_ long first day of camp.

He was honestly unsurprised that there were people that quit on the first day. However, what _did_ surprise him was the fact that Shadis hit the mark entirely when he said that half of the recruits were going to quit by tonight.

Horse-drawn carts full of dropouts were being pulled up the slanted dirt road away from the camp, carrying the future field workers into their chosen profession.

He wasn't the only one watching the carts slowly rolling away from them. After poking silent fun at Sasha, the now christened "potato girl", Armin, Marco, Connie, and Mina sat alongside the emerald-eyed teenager, enjoying the reprieve after a _really_ long day of work.

"To think that Shadis would nail it on the head…" Eren voiced out thoughtfully, earning their attention. "It honestly scares me how accurately he stated that half would quit by tonight."

"I know what you mean. But, that's the way it is…" Marco responded, fixing his dark shirt slightly. He was rather tall for his age, had short, parted black hair, a few freckles, and light brown eyes. "If you can't handle the pressure, you might as well quit…"

"True," agreed Eren, running a hand through his hair. "Still, after working in a farm for a year, I just can't see myself doing it again. Not that I have anything against it…"

"You never _did_ say where _you're_ from, Eren," piped up Connie, standing up from his chair. He was the shortest of the group, even shorter than Armin. He had a distinctively shaved head, bright hazel eyes, and wore a plain, white long-sleeved shirt with shin-length brown slacks.

"I never did?" Eren inquired, raising an eyebrow in slight intrigue. This time, it was Mina who answered by shaking her head. She was a rather attractive girl, shorter than him, with medially-split black hair hanging past her shoulders that was tied into loose pigtails, and gray eyes eerily similar to Mikasa's stormy-gray orbs. She wore a teal blouse and black pants.

Eren looked into the distance, before clapping his hand on Armin's shoulder, and looking at him with a small smile. "I'm from Shiganshina, like Armin."

Everyone except Armin stared at him in abject shock. He could see questions formulating in everyone's minds, most noticeable in Connie.

"Then… t-that means you saw _it_ , right?" asked Connie shakily, an excitedly curious glint taking over his eyes. "The Colossal Titan?"

"Connie, be quiet!" reprimanded Marco, though he was ignored.

"Yes, I did…" spoke Eren softly, his expression taking a turn for the serious. Everyone noticed, Connie taking an apologetic expression soon afterwards. "Don't worry about it, Marco, and you don't have to apologize, Connie."

An awkward silence reigned for a moment, which was subsequently broken by the timely arrival of Mikasa.

"Eren," she greeted, the scarf still not wrapped around her neck, something that mystified Eren.

"Hey, Mikasa. I was waiting for you so we can get dinner," Eren stated in greeting, standing up and giving the stormy-eyed girl a small smile.

"Thanks," she replied, giving him a small smile of her own.

A few minutes later, the trio was sitting together, quietly eating their dinner, tuning out the ruckus around them. It all ended, however, when Thomas Wagner approached Eren.

He was little taller than Eren, with short blond hair with pronounced sideburns, light-brown eyes and a simple white long-sleeve shirt and light-brown slacks.

"Umm… Eren?" he began, earning Eren's attention. He nodded in greeting and as a sign for him to continue, which he quickly did, "Is it true that you're from Shiganshina?"

"I am. Why?" Eren replied with his own question, a vague suspicion telling him that Connie had gone and blabbed about him in the few short minutes that they weren't together.

As if on cue, a multitude of heads swiveled onto him, and not a small amount of people flocked around the trio, curious and excited expressions on their faces.

"Seriously?" asked Thomas, taking the lead of the group. "D-Did you see _it_?"

"The Colossal Titan?" Eren replied, already knowing what "it" was. "Yeah, I saw it."

"How tall was it?" asked Marco, now getting into the excitement. Eren took a thoughtful expression, not noticing Mikasa looking at him through the corner of her eyes.

"Since he stuck his head over the wall, I'd say around 60 meters tall, maybe more."

Gasps of shock rang throughout the gathered group, and they moved further in, eager to ask questions and relate rumors that were shared throughout their villages.

And so, for the next few minutes, questions were being fired at the teen, ranging from the Colossal Titan's appearance, to the confirmation of the Armored Titan's showing. However, it was the last question, asked by someone whose name Eren knew not, that brought back memories he wished to not remember.

"What were they like?"

Eren scowled, his eyes momentarily taking on a haunted look. He looked at the group expressively, his scowl deepening.

"Guys, I think that's enough," said Marco, knowing that they were treading on sensitive territory by asking Eren that question. "I'm pretty sure Eren doesn't wish to relive those memories."

"Hey, Eren, I'm sorry—"

"You truly wish to know what they were like?" Eren interrupted with a raised eyebrow, mentally challenging them to nod or speak positively. Mikasa noticed, and subtly gripped his sleeve, making him turn to her. She gave him a stern look, and imperceptibly shook her head.

He smiled reassuringly at her, trying to soothe the tenseness that she obviously felt.

"Alright. I'll just tell you this," began Eren, turning his head back to the group. "Your _worst_ nightmares are a walk through _heaven_ when compared to the Titans…"

Fearful expressions were abundant at his ominous words, forcing most, if not all to think if they made the right choice in joining the military, or if they truly screwed up.

"S-So, what branch do you intend to join when you graduate?" asked Mina hesitantly, switching the subject. Eren inwardly felt relieved at the change of subject.

"I wish to join the Survey Corps," Eren replied promptly. Everyone surrounding Eren gasped out in shock, and looked at him as if he grew a second head. Jean Kirstein, who was sitting in the table next to him, looked at him with a mixture of interest and boredom.

"T-The _Survey Corps_?!" choked out Mina, flabbergasted. " _W-Why_?"

"I wish to free humanity of this existence, to be able to wake up and walk outside the walls without the fear of being devoured by the Titans," he responded nonchalantly. "Plus, I need to return to Shiganshina for… _personal_ matters."

Silence ruled at Eren's declaration. Some were in awe at the first part of Eren's statement, yet very thoughtful and skeptical at the second part. Just _what_ kind of personal matters would Eren find so important for him to return to the Titan-infested lands beyond Wall Rose?

"You've got to be kidding me," spoke Jean finally, tired of the mutterings of the recruits. He was taller than Eren, standing at five feet and five inches. He had short, light ash-brown hair with trimmed sides and back of a darker hue. He had intense light-brown eyes and a prominently long face. He wore a button-up white shirt, a dark brown vest, and brown pants.

"Why die meaninglessly in the Survey Corps when you can live a long and peaceful life in the Military Police?" he asked Eren, though it was obvious he was posing the question to the other recruits as well. The emerald-eyed teen looked inquisitively at Jean, sizing him up.

"I'd rather die early with a taste of _true_ freedom, knowing that I _at least_ fought for the ultimate salvation of humanity, than corralled inside the walls like brainless cattle, living the rest of your life in a thinly veiled illusion of peace and freedom," retorted Eren, not so subtly sending jabs at Jean and the Military Police.

Some looked in awe at Eren, moved by the powerful words he used to support his reason for joining the Survey Corps, partly convinced on their future path. Others were skeptical, preferring Jean's view of the matter. The rest were either undecided or did not care.

Mikasa was torn. She did not know how to look at Eren. Should it be with pride, or concern, especially when he mentioned dying early in his life?

"I see," spoke Jean, somewhat miffed by Eren's statement, "You're a wannabe tough guy that doesn't want to admit he's scared to face the Titans like the rest of us."

"Who said I wasn't scared?" asked Eren, an eyebrow rising as he stood up, picking up his soup bowl with him. Mikasa silently followed suit, observing the event. "I'm plenty scared of them. I've experienced their horror firsthand. That doesn't mean I'm going to hide from them inside the walls."

Jean stood up as well, tension apparent in his features. "What is that supposed to mean? You trying to pick a fight?"

"Of course not. I don't want to be throttled by Shadis on my first night," Eren replied nonchalantly, dropping off his plate in a bin for dirty utensils. "Besides, I'm just expressing my personal opinion, not dismissing your choice of career. If I sounded like that, I sincerely apologize."

As a sign of goodwill, Eren extended his hand towards Jean, who somewhat reluctantly accepted it. They shook them, the bell signifying the end of dinner ringing simultaneously.

"I apologize as well," spoke Jean, earning a placating grin from Eren as they removed their hands. With naught but a wave of his hand, the emerald-eyed teen left the mess hall, expectantly looking at his soon-to-be former bedmate.

Getting the message, the stormy-eyed girl followed, completely missing the wide-eyed, nigh enamored look Jean gave her. He wanted to speak to her, but was too late, for she had already exited the mess hall.

Catching up with Eren, Mikasa stated, "I'm proud of what you did there, Eren. It was very mature."

"Who are you, my _mom_?" snorted Eren, smiling lightly at her. She smiled back, falling into step with him as they headed towards the sleeping cabins. "Thanks, though. I really didn't want to fight him, especially with Shadis on the watch. He would've done us in worse than potato girl."

"I wouldn't doubt that," she replied. "He's really strict, but fair. Strangely, it looked like he _knew_ you, Eren. Any ideas why?"

"Ah, it's probably 'cause of Viktor," said Eren offhandedly. "I look quite a bit like him, not to mention we have the same last names. Let's not forget he was the commander of the Survey Corps two years ago."

Mikasa's eyes widened slightly, now connecting all the dots on Keith Shadis and his somewhat familiar look. She honestly thought it was the absence of his hair that made him look so unfamiliar, as well as the extremely haunted look.

"But…" Mikasa trailed off, thinking how she would phrase the next part. "Didn't it seem strange that he looked at you with… _regret_?"

"You caught that?" asked Eren with a raised brow, earning a nod from her. He shrugged, "I honestly have no idea why he looked at me like that. I mean, he doesn't even _know_ me! I would ask him, but I honestly don't see that ending well for me, so I'll chalk it off to my imagination."

"If you say so…" she answered, leaving the matter to rest like her soon-to-be former bedmate.

"I'm worried, though…" he began, stopping dead in his tracks in front of the cabins. Mikasa stopped just a step ahead, looking contemplatively at him.

"About?" she prompted. Eren sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"How are we going to deal with our nightmares now that we're going to be sleeping apart?" he asked, worriedly glancing deep into her stormy-gray eyes. She sighed, and then shrugged, brushing her hair off her face.

"We'll adapt… somehow," she replied, the insecurity in her response apparent. It was obvious that the nightmares, as hazy as they were in her memory, still shook her. Noticing that, Eren stepped forward, embracing her tightly, an embrace she returned equally.

"Yeah. We'll adapt, but that doesn't mean I'll stop worrying," he muttered, softly caressing her hair.

"Hey, isn't that supposed to be _my_ job?" she retorted, trying to alleviate the mood. He chuckled softly.

"I guess it is…" he conceded. Changing the subject, he said, "You know… since we're going to be using the 3DMGs in the future, wouldn't it better to trim your hair slightly?"

She removed herself from the embrace, examining her hair critically. "You think so?"

"Yeah. Of course, this is just a thought. You don't have to do it," he continued, looking over at the approaching crowd of recruits.

"I see the logic in your thinking, so I'll probably do it," Mikasa answered, throwing her hair back. "How far should I cut it?"

Eren hummed in thought, truly considering the length that would suit her perfectly. "How does having it cut up to your chin sound?"

Grabbing her hair and measuring the amount he suggested, which was honestly a considerable amount, she looked at him with a raised brow. "This much?"

"What do you think?" he asked, leaving the decision up to her.

She nodded in agreement, "That seems like a fine length. I'll see if I can get it cut by morning."

"Alright," he voiced, once again looking over at the now close crowd. "Well, I guess this is goodnight, Mikasa. Have a good sleep, okay? Tomorrow we'll surely have another crazy tiring day, so we gotta be fully charged."

"Good night, Eren," she said with a nod, separating from him and going into the female cabin. Both were completely unaware of the searing glare Jean was giving Eren.

Without preamble, he walked over to the male cabin, idly noticing the sheer functional build it sported. It provided no luxury, no privacy, just groups upon groups of beds stacked close to each other, made to fit as many recruits as possible. In other words… a truly military setting.

"Eren!" called out Armin's voice, the blond owner of it catching up to him as he chose a bunk on the top.

"Hey, Armin," answered the emerald-eyed teen, quickly settling in. "Sorry I didn't wait for you. I had some stuff to discuss in private with Mikasa."

The blue-eyed teen waved his hand dismissively, already having a hunch of their topic of discussion. "Don't worry about it, Eren. I completely understand. But, how are you going to deal with your nightmares now that you're going to sleep apart?"

He posed the question in naught but a whisper, knowing the sensitive nature of the topic.

"We can't do anything about it. Just adapt, I guess…" Eren answered. "I know the first few nights may be hard, but we'll get used to it."

"Yeah, no kidding," Armin agreed. He then got a large smile on his face, "Are you excited about tomorrow?"

"How could I not be?" Eren inquired in return. "We're going to get an aptitude test tomorrow, to see if we make the cut. How could I _not_ be excited?"

"Yeah, I agree. I wonder what it's going to be, though. Do you have any idea?" queried the blond. The brunet shook his head.

"Nah, no idea whatsoever. It's gotta be something difficult, though. I mean, this test will decide if we're good enough for the military," Eren claimed. "I can't imagine it being something _everyone_ can pass."

"Yeah, you're right about that," Armin replied, somewhat nervously. He calmed, though, when he felt Eren's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't sweat it. You'll do well tomorrow," he soothed, giving the blond a small smile.

"Thanks," was all Armin said, settling himself on the bunk beside Eren.

Dropping his head on the pillow, the brunet aimlessly stared at the ceiling for a moment, finally having time to contemplate everything that happened during the day. Many things crossed his mind, all of varying subjects and importance.

Now that he was in a state of rest, and the adrenaline was at an all-time low, the thing he brushed off as a figment of his imagination came rushing back like a speeding train.

The laughter… just _what_ was that?

Where did it come from? Why was he hearing it in the back of his head? Was he going crazy?

Most of all… _why did it sound exactly like Viktor_?!

As darkness overtook him, the same thought coursed through his mind over and over…

 _'_ Why _did it sound like_ Viktor _…?'_

…

* * *

 _ **There you go! Did you enjoy the chapter?**_

 _ **Dunno if that's a cliffhanger, but if it is, enjoy speculating the possible meaning. I would like to see your thoughts in a review or PM.**_

 _ **I really hope you did enjoy the chap. Anyways, next chapter should mostly involve the training in the 104th, and the graduation at the end. Oh, and Viktor might make an appearance. Who knows? I do. Mwahahahahaha.**_

 _ **Anyways, next update might come after I update one of my Fairy Tail fics, perhaps both.**_

 _ **Anyways, thank you for reading!**_

 _ **Please! Review, review, review!**_

 _ **Until next time! Ciao!**_


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